November 29th, 2013 by WCBC Radio
As Maryland moves ahead with school reform and the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, state officials are facing growing resistance among teachers, lawmakers and others who are concerned that too much change is being forced onto schools too soon. The issue in Maryland has become political. In the next legislative session, House Republicans plan to push for the state to withdraw from the Common Core initiative; and Harford County Executive David R. Craig, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful, has said the Core is too costly and gives too much control over Maryland classrooms to national testing organizations. State Superintendent of Schools Lillian Lowery is being increasingly challenged by teachers and lawmakers about her strong reform push even as Maryland just took over fiscal responsibilities for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCSS), one of two multi-state consortia that — with some $350 million in federal funds — promised to develop standardized tests aligned with the Core. Lowery maintains that while Common Core does present some change, the change is not nearly as dramatic as some opponents have portrayed it to be…
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